Traction gang-plow.



B. F. MERTZ.

v TRACTION GANG PLOW. APPLIQAHQN FILED rm. 5. 19m.

Patented. Feb. 12, 19/18.

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TRACTION GANG PLOW.

Q APPLICATION TILED FEB.:').11T. 1 r l ifi," mu latented 11m). 13,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEH WEE! R i mix? 1 1 T B. F. MERTZ.

TRACTION GANG PLOW.

APPLICATION man FEB. 5, 1911.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

4 S||EET5-SHEET 3.

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*' BOYD F. MEBTZ, OF NORTHUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACTION GANG-PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.12,1918.

Application filed February 5, 1917. Serial No. 146,768.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that 1, Born F. lt lnu'rz, a citizen of the United States,residing at Northumberland, in the county of Northumberland. State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction Gang-Flows; and I (lo-hereby dcclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

. This invention is an improvement in agri cultural machines and hasparticular reference to a gang plow for tractors.

An object of the invention is the provision of a construction whereby aplurality of plows may be attached to the tractor frame and readilydetached therefrom whereby the tractor may be employed for otherpurposes.

. Another object is to provide for the lateral adjustment of the plowsrelative to the tractor frame in order that the plows may be shifted toany desired position, and for this purpose, there is provided a draw barupon which the plow beams having connected thereto a flexible elementoperable to shift said beams and their plows from one side of the frametoward the other.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical expressions, some of which for the purpose or" illustratingthe present invention, are shown in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a si e elevation of the machine constructed tion.

Fig. 2 isa top plan view thereof.

is a transverse section taken through the center portion of the machineand'showing the mechanism for shifting the pl'ows from one side of theframe to the "othe'r.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevation of the means-tor attaching theplows to the tractor frame and also the means for vertically adu'stmgthe plow points.

Fig; 5 is a detail perspective view of the means foroperatiug the clutchof the engine to stop the machine.

' Fig. 6 is an enlarged. detail side elevation of one of the plowsshowing the means attached the" tor operating the device illustrated inl t Fig. ft is z .n filillfit'tgc l detail view of the beams areslidable, said in accordance with the inven-t means for yieldinglyretaining the plows in an adjusted or centered position.

Fig. 8 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of one of the crank members forconnecting the adjacent plows.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of one end of the draw bar for supporting theforward ends of the plow beams.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which. likecharacters indicate similarparts, the numeral 15 indicates the frame ofthe tractor which includes the side members 16 and 17, the latter beingcurved at its rear end as indicated at 18 so that the rear ends of saidside members will be arranged in converging relation. The forward end ofthe frame 15 is provided with the usual axle 19 upon the ends of whichare mounted the tractor wheels 20 and supported by the rear ends of theside members 16 and 17 of the frame is the ground en.- gaging steeringwheel 21. This wheel 21 carries a post to the upper end of which isconnected an arm A red 2i which forms a portion of the steeringconnections has its rear end secured to the arm 23 and its forward endsecured to an extension 25 of a rotatably mounted direction controllingmember 26 in the form of a substantially circular plate having the teeth2.7 upon a portion of its periphery. A worm gear 30 is adapted to meshwith the teeth 27 when it, is desired to steer thetractor manually bymeans of the usual steering shaft 31 which has said gear 30 upon itslower end. The member 26 has projecting from its periphery a forwardlyextending arm 32 to the front end of which is pivot-ally connected abeam- 33 which extends forwardly of'the arm 15 and has its forward endcurved downwardly and provided with a bearing 34 in which are bricantwhereby the several gears in the casing may be properly lubricated. The

- gearing (not shown) in said casing is controlle'd'by-a lever 50pivoted to said casing,

and associated with the drive shaft'tfl is a clutchol operated by alever 52 to control the operation of said shaft whercbyfpower .may beapplied to. the gears 53 which mesh with the gears 54 of the tractorwheels 20. 19.

A pulley 55 is mounted upon the drive sha ft 4:3 exteriorly of thecasing 44 and'may be employed in operating any mechanism not 2 a nection62 with the draw bar .59 and said shown in the drawings.

' The manner of attaching several plowsto the-tractor frame preferablycomprises a supporting member 56., in the form of a plate, secured toeach side of the frame 15 intermediate. the ends thereof, by means ofbolts 57 which permit of the removal of said plates from the'frame whenit is desired to use the tractor alone. These plates are pro:

vided with vertical slots 58 in which the transverse draw bar 59 ismounted. A pivot rod 60 connects the two plates 56 and has mountedthereon a lever 61' having a conlever is adjustable to raise and: lowersaid draw bar whereby'the points of the, plows connected thereto may bevertically adjusted. r 4

The several plows 63, 64 and 65 are of any preferred constructionandhave the forward end of their beams 66 slidably engaged upon the drawbar 59 so that said plows may be shifted, to either side of the'framc ina mannor to be presently described. Connecting,

the "forward ends of said beams is a rod 67 which at all times maintainsthe beam in proper spaced relation. The means lor'adjusting the severalplowstransverselv of the frame preferably comprises a flexible element68 in the form of a chaiin secured at one end to the beam of one of theoutsideplows (i3 and extenc'ling longitudinally of the draw bar to theend thereof where said chain passes over a sprocket wheel 69 carried bysaid end of the draw bar from whence said chain passes beneath the drawbar to the other end thereof where it is mounted over.

another sprocket 70 and then secured at its other end to the beam of theother outside Any suitable meanssuch as a plow 65. crank 71, may. beemployed for rotating the sprocket wheels 69 and 70 to secure theadjustmcntdesired.

The plow beams of the plows 63 and (it are connected by a crank member72 which permits of an independent vertical adjust ment of each plowthrougl'l the medium of the usual lever T3 having a connection 7 withits respective plow. ll lorntcd upon each endo'f the crank member 72 andon each side of the adjacent 'low beam are coil springs 75, whichyiedabiy maintain the plows in the position shown but which slots 67'and'68' therein.

adjacent crank member is-mounted in the essence mit of a slightindependent lateral movement of either plow should the same strike anobstruction withoutsufficient force to break the usual break pin of theplow. The plow beams of the plows 64.- and are likewise connected by acrank member 76 similar in construction to the crank 72 and having thecoil' springs 77 mounted uponeach end thereof. Each plow beam 66 hasalso secured thereto the plates 66 having the registered .slots67 of theplates while an endof an angular arm'69 is mounted in the slots 68 ofeach plate, the other end of said arm having an opening throughwhichmember." Springs are coiled about the anglearins 69 on each side of theplates 60' and said arlns'and springs also aid in maintaining the plowsin their proper positions.

' Means are provided in connection with the plow for automaticallyoperating the clutch lever 52 to stop the travel. of thefmachine shouldany one otthe plows strike an obstruction with. suficient force to breakthe break pin, and this means preferably in- 52. It will be apparentthat when the break pin 86 of any one of the plows is broken, said plowwill swing about its pivot and draw the passes the adjacent portion ofsaid crank" flexible element 79 rearwardly which will,

swing the member 82 about its pivot in a similar direction and operatethe chain 84 to exert a pull upon the clutch lever 52 and thusdiscontinue the operation of the driving; mechan sm until said lever isagain actuated to throw the clutch into clutching engagemeat.

"What is claimed is 1. In a gang plow. the combination of a frame. adraw bar adjustable relative thereto, a plurality of plows adjustablelongitudinally of said draw bar, a flexible element connecting certainof said plows. and means operatively connected to said elements foractuating the same to adjust said plows.

2. In a gang: plow, the combination of a frame, st sporting membersdctachably sccurcd to th sides thereof, a draw bar mounted in saidsupporting members and vertically adjustable therein, a plurality ofplows slidablc longitudinally of said draw bar, a

flexible clement connecting certain of said plt'lwfi and meansoperatively coasted to '15 An end of the said element for actuating thesame to slide said plows on said draw oar.

In a gang plow, the combination of a frame, supporting membersdetachably secured to the sides thereof, a draw bar mounted in saidsupporting members and vertically adjustable therein, a plurality ofplows slidable longitudinally oi said draw bar, a flexible elementconnecting certain. of said plows, and means operatively connected tosaid elcment for actuating the same to slide said plows on said drawbar, and means connecting said plows for maintaining same equidistaneesapart.

4, In :1 gang-plow, the combination of a frame, supporting membersdetachably secured to the sides thereof, a draw bar mounted in saidsupporting members and vertically adjustable therein, a plurality ofplows connected to said draw bar, cranks extending between certain ofsaid plows, and means for independently operating each plow.

5. In a gang plow, the combination of a frame, supporting membersdetacliably secured to the sides thereof. a draw bar mounted ih saidsupporting members and verti ca'lly adjustable therein, a plurality ofplows connected to said draw bar, cranks extending between certain ofsaid plows, means for independently operating each plow, and 1e silientmeans carried by each 6 'ank and-"engaging the adjacent plow foryieldably resisting lateral movement of the plow.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature, in the presence of twoWitnesses.

, BOYD F. MERTZ.

Witnesses:

HAROLD R. Mnn'rz, \V. H. MERTZ.

